Annual Report 2009/2010

Introduction (full rpt w/graphs pdf format)

Mission

The Environmental, Health and Safety Department is responsible for facilitating University safety by implementing programs that serve the students, employees and clients within the state. Effective fulfillment of our responsibility is made possible through the significant efforts of many individuals as well as our partnerships with various constituents of the campus community and regulatory agencies. EH&S provides leadership in environmental stewardship and regulatory compliance assistance to the NMSU system.

EH&S fulfills its mission to make NMSU a safe environment by implementing high quality/timely health and safety services in eight major areas.

Education, Training & Protective Equipment
Hazardous Waste & Materials Management
Health & Safety Inspection/Facility Audits/Activity & Work Reviews
Regulatory Compliance
Accident & Exposure Investigations
Exposure Prevention/Indoor Air Quality
Radiation Licensing & Permitting
Safety Standard & Procedures

Vision

Our vision at NMSU is to be recognized as a premier university. NMSU will not be recognized as such, unless the University demonstrates a strong commitment to protecting the health and safety of employees, students and the public as well as protecting the environment. Our goals are to have a workplace free of injuries and hazardous exposures, to prevent or minimize any adverse impact to the environment, to provide services of the highest quality to the NMSU system and to be recognized as leaders in the areas of environmental protection, health and safety.

Department Values

Staff will practice their profession by following recognized scientific principles and management practices, factually informing affected parties of their findings in an honest, straightforward manner, exhibiting the highest level of integrity, honesty and empathy, while never compromising the public’s welfare. Staff will strive to be involved in continual education and professional development, to provide superior customer service in all areas, to perform service only in the areas of their competence and maintain information as confidential when appropriate.

Overview of 2009

19% annual increase in number of safety classes
12% annual increase in personnel trained (3323) in safety through formal classes
Doubling of safety classes and training deliveries since 2004 and 2002
9% yearly increase in surveillance activities for loss control
20% increase in detailed lab and general room inspections
Directed $100,000 of BRR to correction of safety deficiencies
10% increase in number of work orders to affect repair of safety deficiencies
40% decrease in the number of injury and illness cases with lost or restricted work days in 2008 and that remained stable in 2009
Continued safety support to remote campuses and Ag. Science Centers to include inspections and training
Supported 44 asbestos abatement projects and developed NMSU Asbestos Management Program
Achieved I&G budget support for EH&S so that $120,000 recovery from other departments was not necessary for statewide safety and Air Permit compliance
Picked up, researched, processed, and shipped 87,000 pounds of waste in 2009 compared to 72,000 pounds averaged over the previous five years. This included 3,800 different waste items compared to 2,700 items averaged over the previous five years.
Lead the detailed application process for the five year renewal of NMSU’s Title V Air Permit
Assisted in the design and start of renovation operations to construct an Environmental Management Facility to consolidate all NMSU hazardous waste (chemical, radiological, universal, biological) into one building with engineering safety controls.
Developed on-line Bloodborne Pathogen training to promote annual training compliance
Moved radioactive sources and decommissioned Gardner Hall for renovation
Passed NM Environment Department Radiation Protection inspection with no findings
Increased driver license validation frequency for employees driving NMSU vehicles has doubled the number of reviews and permits issued each year
Implemented revised policies for emergency preparedness including Continuity of Operations Planning and designation of Essential Personnel in essential departments
In response to H1N1 novel virus, the Communicable Disease Preparedness Committee provided leadership and readiness for NMSU’s response to the pandemic

Overall the department continued to provide most services at an acceptable level in most program areas. However, as new university space is added to the list of EH&S responsibilities, new demands are created and new resources are not being programmed into the budget. There remains a critical need to increase funding levels when new space or new responsibilities are added.

Faculty Research Support

The NMSU SCORE (Support of Continuous Research Excellence) Program conducted a formal Research Environment Study of researchers (n=266) on the Las Cruces campus, September 2007. Of the respondents, 70% were tenure-track faculty (representing one-third of the total NMSU tenure track faculty) and 19% were research scientist or professional research staff. Most of the respondents had long experience (54% with nine years or more) at NMSU. One repeated theme which emerged from the quantitative survey responses was satisfaction with Environmental Health & Safety support but frustration with other NMSU research support systems. Across all colleges, the Environmental Safety practices were deemed good or excellent by 57% and fair by 32% with only 11% rating poor or terrible. These ratings relate to one’s experience with the efficiency of NMSU EH&S systems and processes and whether EH&S procedures are judged to meet the organization’s needs without impeding research work. On the other hand, Accounting, Purchasing and Hiring processes were clearly judged as problem areas with poor / terrible scores from 71%, 62% and 68% of respondents for each area respectively. These data indicate that survey participants were distinguishing among categories and not merely complaining about all research support systems.

Training

Centralized Safety Training

In 2009 EH&S provided 248 safety classes, a 19% annual increase and 100% increase in classes since 2004. These classes cover over 27 different safety topics for compliance with regulations, NMSU policy and State Risk Management’s Loss Prevention and Control Rule.

Overall, a total of 3323 employees attended safety training including defensive driving, a 12% yearly increase and nearly 100% increase since 2002. Training includes 17 different routinely offered safety courses plus special sessions such as Ag. Worker Protection Training, Lab Standard Refresher and Graduate Assistant orientation and other special requests.

The 2009 Safety Training chart (below) shows the participation in the various classes. We have developed strong partnerships with Academic, Science and Research Dept though our safety training program. This is evidenced in repeated requests for EH&S staff to present special sessions on current safety issues which help departments comply with OSHA’s annual lab refresher training requirement. 98% of the training was provided by EH&S, although we arranged for 4 classes (98 trainees) on special topics.

EH&S staff traveled throughout the state to provide safety training to all Agricultural Science Centers, NMSU Alamogordo, NMSU Carlsbad and Carlsbad Environmental Management and Research Center.

Over the last five years attendance at safety training has dramatically increased for most NMSU campus staff and in the Academics, Faculty, Post-Docs and Graduate Assistants especially in the Sciences and Research departments. However a lack of emphasize and lowered attendance for Facility Service employees has been noted in employee conversations for required introductory safety and in attendance records for annual refresher classes. This trend has continued over the last two year, despite weekly reminders to supervisors of upcoming classes and in correspondence to upper management noting the problem and attempting to help by providing extra classes.

Training Goal:

Ø Continue improving safety training at remote locations through increased visits and web interface.

Ø Attempt to improve Facility Service safety training compliance by adapting UNM model in which management support/endorse safety and supervisor participates in safety training.

Loss Control and Injury Rates

Employee Injury & Illness Loss Control

There was a 40% decrease in the number of injury and illness cases with lost or restricted work days in 2008 and that remained stable in 2009. This decrease in the more severe cases (lost time or restricted duty) correlates with several new initiatives including: increased funding in building safety repairs and safety upgrades, increased participation in safety training, increased building safety inspections and a new FTE workers compensation coordinator. This positive change in injury cases correlates with a 20% increase in safety training each year and a 500% increase in funded facility safety repairs. EH&S focused new training for high risk injury areas including heavy equipment operations, agricultural worker protection, animal and laboratory safety.

Ignoring the anomaly in 2008, there was a 33% decrease in lost days compared to previous four year average. The anomaly in 2008 was attributed to new FTE tracking data. The actual cost of worker’s compensation claims is higher than last year but less than the previous five years with the highest peak in 2005. The worker compensation insurance premiums are based on experience. Although new premiums are not yet available, last year 54% ($2.2M) of the total risk management premium ($4.1M) was based on workers compensation claims, so it is important to maintain this constructive decrease in injury rate.

Loss Control Goal: Maintain low injury rate through training, inspections and timely facility repairs to improve workplace safety.